A Cleaver By Any Other Name
by Ennon
Summary: In trying to understand more of Ward's past, June discovers something  that causes her to question much of hers. Updates when life permits. Read  review.
1. Chapter 1

"A Cleaver By Any Other Name" (Chapter One)

By Ennon

(Disclaimers: I'm claiming no monies whatsoever from this fanfic and I recognize that 'Leave It to Beaver is owned + licensed by others).

Rosemont Funeral Home, East St. Louis, Illinois- 1925.

."Aunt Martha said to wait in the car. . ." 8-year-old June Evelyn Brunson pleaded with her 10-year-old sister Marjorie as she chased after her older sister trying to sneakback inside.

"She's taking too long and I see her talking with Grandpa and Grandma. Let's crouch behind the pews," Marjorie whispered as they caught wind of the adults' conversation in front of the two coffins of their parents.

"But why can't June . ..?" Miss Martha Louise Brunson (age 30) gasped.

"She's not nearly as academically advanced as Marjorie so it would disruptive to remove her from the boarding school," Mrs. Arabella Campbell Wallace (age 57) sighed.

"But they're _sisters_," Aunt Martha begged.

"Miss Brunson, Flora was our only child. It's only fitting that we take in Marjorie since she's far more of a Wallace than June could ever hope to be," Mr. Hiram Wallace (age 59) scoffed.

"No! No!" 8-year-old June yelled loud enough for every adult to notice her and Marjorie's hiding place.

"June Evelyn Brunson, mind your manners," Aunt Martha snapped.

Mayfield, USA- Present Day (2007)

"No, no!"90-year-old June Cleaver was heard to mumble in the back seat of the limousine driving the Cleaver Family away from the Greener Pastures Cemetary.

"Mom, wake up!" 62-year-old Wally Cleaver urged her while 57-year-old Beaver Cleaver nudged her.

"What happened?" June said as she woke with a start.

"Grandma, you dozed off and were having some kind of nighmare," 33-year-old Kelly Cleaver Haskell explained.

"I'm sorry, Dear. I guess seeing you and Kevin at Mary Ellen's . .."June sighed.

"I'd forgotten you'd lost your parents a lot earlier than we lost Mom," 22-year-old Kevin sighed.

"It doesn't matter hold old we are. Losing a parent's nothing to be taken lightly,"57-year-old Beaver replied.

"Nor losing a wife," 62-year-old Wally groaned.

"We didn't mean to ignore you, Dad. The school's given Kyle and Zoe the rest of the week off so the four of us can spend the next few days. ." Kelly started to explain.

"Four? Is Emeril Wannabee Haskell too big to console the family over his Mom-in-law's passing?" 22-year-old Kevin asked.

"Kevin, you know running a restaurant's a 24/7 deal. Why couldn't you have skipped today in dumping on Freddie? You're just as bad as Uncle Beaver with Pop Eddie," Kelly fumed.

"Hey,Missy ! I can't forgive him for showing your Dad his iPod with an online dating chat room _seconds_ after Intensive Care pronounced Mary Ellen . .!"Beaver boiled.

"He was joking," Kelly gasped.

"Beaver, Kelly,Kevin! That's enough," June pleaded-as she snapped her fingers and pointed.

"Yes, Mom/Grandma" Beaver and his niece+nephew groaned in unison.

At that point, Wally started to laugh and cry at the very same time.

"You okay, Wally?"Beaver asked.

"Yeah, it's good to know that there are some things that never change,"

A Few Days Later at the Cleaver House,

"When is Wally going to learn about keeping track of bills ?" Beaver fumed.

"Another collection call, Dear?" June asked.

"Yeah, and it's getting tiresome to explain about how it was Mary Ellen who'd handled the bills while Wally earned the money. You'd think him being a lawyer, he'd have done it himself or pawned it onto someone else," Beaver groaned.

"Like you?" June asked.

"I just volunteered to do it until he's ready to go back to his practice," Beaver sighed.

"Well, it's nice of you to do that for Wally. I remember how tough it was to do so many things on my own that your father had always done for us," June sighed.

" Thirty years and I still miss him. And not just cause he didn't get to see me raise my boys or provide for you," Beaver pondered.

"It's going to take time for Wally to adjust to life without Mary Ellen. He's no Eddie Haskell," June half-laughed.

"Yeah, I have to admit I was glad Gert finally dumped him after their boys were grown but he's gone through five trophy wives, countless girlfriends and I don't know how much Viagra since then," Beaver chuckled.

"Someone's at the door. Could you see who that could be?" June asked.

Beaver walked from his den to the front door- and saw . .

"Gus the Fireman? No way! You'd have to be 120 at least," Beaver gasped as he saw on old man in a WWII veteran's uniform complete with division cap.

"Nope, Gus was my dad! I'm his youngest boy Julius. .."the old man exclaimed.

"Gus had a family?" Beaver asked aloud.

"Corporal Crispin, is that you?" June asked.

"Miz Cleaver, Ma'am! You haven't aged a day since Sarge's funeral,"Julius exclaimed as he saluted June.

"Flatterer. No wonder you only made Corporal. Beaver, where are your manners? Invite Corporal Crispin into living room," June insisted.

"Wait, Gus the Fireman's last name was Crispin?" Beaver asked.

"Sorry we didn't get a chance to introduce ourselves at the Sarge's Funeral but. ." Julius said as he and June led him to the living room- with both June and the old Corporal using wheeled walkers to make their way in.

"We were all too shaken to take anything in back then. What brings you to Mayfield and can I ask you a few hundred questions about Gus?" Beaver laughed as they sat down while Julius took off his Legion cap.

"Oh, I saw your sister-in-law's obit in the _Mayfield Herald_ and it listed your family as survivors," Julius explained.

"You take the _Mayfield Herald_?" Beaver asked as they all walked into the living room.

"My great- grandson Trevor gave me an online link to it," explained Julius.

"All my six of my great-grandkids are into the 'Net. Even Kelly's 3-year-old Zack," June laughed.

"It used to be crystal radio sets when we were kids, remember Miz Cleaver? "Julius asked.

"Please have a seat. Would you like something to drink?" June asked.

"No ma'am. Can't have anything stronger than coffee since the bypass," Cpl. Crispin laughed.

"You wouldn't find anything stronger in Mayfield-unless you hung out with a certain Mr. Haskell," Beaver laughed.

" Pop used to tell me how quiet the town was. That's why he retired here," Julius recalled.

"Really?" June asked.

"Yep, because he knew there'd be too few fires to put out but they gave him a nice pension so long as he'd come to the firehouse in his uniform," Julius recalled.

"That makes sense," Beaver laughed.

"Gus has been gone over 30 years, Beaver. So you still haven't told us what brings you here," June pondered.

"It's about our Seebees Unit. We're planning our 65th Reunion next month," Julius explained.

"That's quite flattering but you know that Ward's been. .." June sighed.

"Oh, we know all that,Miz Cleaver, Ma'am, but there's only about five of us left so we're inviting all the Unit's loved ones to join those of us remaining to help us honor those no longer with us," Julius excitedly proclaimed.

" Ward and I went to the 25th Reunion in Chicago but it's not that easy for me to get around any more, "June sighed- as she pointed to her walker.

"No worries, Ma'am! We've cased out a perfect resort hotel that's got ramps, lifts and railings all over the grounds," Julius exclaimed as Beaver brought in the coffee decanter and placed it on the living room table at which point reached for the coffee decanter

"Mom, I'll help!" Beaver exclaimed- as he quickly poured the coffee from the decanter into three cups-and spilled some on the table

" But your business. ." June protested- as she quickly wiped up the spilled coffee with her linen napkin.  
" Clarence can run the business while we're gone," Beaver insisted.

"Dear, your always saying how Lumpy messes up. ."

"Well, at least I can put out all the disasters when we get back- and we can have Eloise maintain the house while we're gone," Beaver pleaded.

"I have to admit she does cook and clean _almost_ as good as I did. It used to drive Mary Ellen bonkers!" June laughed.

"Is this Eloise single?" Julius asked.

"No, she's committed to someone named Angela Valentine," Beaver laughed.

"Anyway, Miz Cleaver, we'd be thrilled to see you and your whole family there join us there," Julius insisted as he started to stand up again.

"Can't you stay? We can put you up for the night," June insisted.

"We _can_?" Beaver whispered in June's ear.

"Yes, we can!" June whispered back with gritted teeth.

"Thank you no, Ma'am! I'm staying with my nephew's family on Grant Avenue. So, what do you say, Miz Cleaver? Are you coming?" Julius asked.

"Sure we're in! We'll see if we can get my elder boy Wallace to join us. So is it in Chicago again?" June asked.

"No, ma'am. It's in Caen, France!"Julius proclaimed.

"_France?_!" June and Beaver exclaimed together.

"Yep, that's where the Sarge showed his valor and saved so many of us so we could come home! Look forward to seeing your family there,"Cpl. Julius Crispin exclaimed as he put his Legion cap back on and hobbled to his walker then started walking towards the front door.

" I never knew Dad did that," Beaver gulped after the old Corporal left.

"Me either. I knew he got a week furlough shortly after D-DAY so he could come home to marry me," June pondered.

"You never asked Dad why he got that furlough smack in the middle of the worst part of the War?" Beaver asked.

"Beaver, I was too thrilled to have him to myself to ask questions," June said with a sly smile.

"And that's when you and Dad conceived Wally!" Beaver exclaimed with a snap while June blushed.

"Oh, Beaver,"June scoffed.

"It's okay, Mom. You don't have to be modest. Times have changed," Beaver laughed.

"I know but I still didn't like having busybodies counting backwards from Wally's birth like I had done something indecent," June sighed.

" We have to go, Mom!" Beaver pleaded.

"To France? I remember Aunt Martha said something about Belleau Wood on her deathbed but I never wanted to leave the States. .." June scoffed.

"Mom, I can make all the arrangements so you'll have everything you'll need and this trip may be what Wally needs. What do you say?" Beaver pleaded.

"It may do us some good to learn more about a side of your father's life he kept somewhat quiet and it may help you be less anxious about Kip," June pondered.

"Kip? What do you mean, Mom?" Beaver asked.

"Well, while we're all on the other side of the Pond, you could see about popping over to Kuwait to meet him there," June considered.

"I'm not sure if I can. .." Beaver scoffed.

"Sondra and the kids will be happy if you," June pondered.

" I know they would. I wish they'd move from Ft. Campbell back to here," Beaver sighed.

"But that's Kip's home base," June sighed.

" And why did Ollie's mother-in-law have to have her surgery the day before Mary Ellen?" Beaver groaned.

"Beaver, Mrs. Thomasson needs Ollie and Megan to help out the way Aunt Martha did in coming here while I was helping your Aunt Marjorie when she'd had your cousin Lucy," June explained.

"But why didn't Aunt Martha go help out Aunt Marjorie herself?" Beaver asked.

"She said she had her reasons," June recalled.

"And you never asked what those were?" Beaver asked.

"I know she wasn't happy with Marjorie divorcing her first husband three years prior,"June sighed.

"Oh, yes. She read _me_ the Riot Act when my divorce happened- in spite of the fact that Kimberly was the one who threw me out and got the divorce,"Beaver recalled.

"She didn't let Marjorie forget that there'd never been a divorce in the history of the Bronson Family," June sighed.

"Mom, did you actually just **question** one of Aunt Martha's directives ?" Beaver laughed.

"Beaver. Well, in any case, you need to see if you can arrange for the time to see Kip in Kuwait while the rest of us are in Europe," June quickly shifted gears.

"But Kip's got so much going on over there," Beaver sighed.

" So did your father but they were able to spare him for that week. Why not see if they could spare Kip for a day?" June pondered.

"Mom, you're the best! I'll find us the best airline connections and hotels between here and Caen, France. We just need to make sure your passport's up to date!" Beaver exclaimed.

"Passport?" June gasped.

"Mom, you do have one, right?" Beaver gulped.

June shook her head.

"Oh, Mom! You've _never_ had one?" Beaver gasped.

"No," June sighed.

"Well, it could cut things close but we'll just get your Birth Certificate and photograph along with the Application and fax those to the Passport Agency," Beaver explained.

"But I've heard on the news about the terrible backlog with the processing," June sighed.

"Between Wally, Clarence and I, I'm sure we can pull some strings somewhere to make sure you get that passport in time for Dad's Unit's Reunion," Beaver enthused.

"Are you sure?" June asked.

"I'll even swallow my pride and ask Eddie's help in speeding things up if I have to. Come on, it's for Dad and Wally. We can't miss this!" Beaver pleaded- as he raced to the Family Album in search of June's Birth Certificate.

As Beaver did so, June couldn't help but feel that after all was said and done, she might be the one winding up in the soup!


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter Two-

"Mom, Beav? I saw that old guy who looked like Gus pull out of your driveway. Anything up?" Wally asked as he came into the Cleaver Living Room from his house next door.

"We've been invited to the 65th Reunion of your father's Seebee Unit," June started to say.

"All three of us," Beaver said eagerly.

"And it's in. … " June added.

"Caen. That's in France!" Beaver interrupted.

"Beav, you're almost sixty. Aren't you getting a little old to be interrupting Mom?" Wally laughed.

"Ha, ha! Anyway, we just need to get Mom's Birth Certificate so we can get her passport in time for the Reunion," Beaver explained- as he went to the middle shelf of the living room bookcase and reached for the large album marked 'Cleaver Family, Volume One 1914-1944'.

Beaver pulled the large album from the shelf and set it down on the table in front where June was sitting.

Wally sat down by their mother's right side and Beaver sat down on her left when Beaver excitedly opened the first page of the album.

"Here's Dad's Birth Certificate from 1914 and there's Mom's from 1917. .." Beaver proclaimed as he was lifting the cellophane protective cover from atop the documents.

"Beaver, what are doing?" June gasped-as she grabbed Beaver's right hand.

"Well, we have to take it out to. .. " Beaver tried to explain.

"Oh, no! I won't have it taken it out. It could get lost in the mail or the Passport Office could misfile it and we'd never see it again," June shuddered as she clenched his hand.

"Mom, relax! My home office has a color copier we can use and I was going to send the copy to Passport Office- not the original!" Beaver half- laughed.

"Oh, I guess that's okay, then. You'd better not smudge or get fingerprints on the original," June warned as she lifted up Beaver's right hand to her face to inspect it for dirt for a few seconds before releasing her grip so Beaver continued back to his original task.

"It wouldn't do any good because this _isn't_ Mom's Birth Certificate," Wally groaned as he looked at the document.

"What?!" June and Beaver gasped simultaneously.

"You're nuts! It says right here she's the daughter of . .." Beaver protested.

"Mom, Beav, I'm the lawyer, remember? This is Mom's Christening Certificate from her parents' church," Wally groaned.

"But it has her birth date, birthplace and parents' names," Beaver pleaded.

"Beaver, I'm afraid your brother's right. I don't know why we never noticed this before,"June sighed.

"But, Mom. It has your birthday on it," Beaver protested.

"Beav, that's the date the Christening took place," Wally sighed.

"But we've always celebrated Mom's Birthday on that day," Beaver sputtered.

"That is the date I've always considered my birthday," June pondered.

"Mom, it's virtually unheard of for churches to Christen babies the very day they were born," Wally groaned while he and Beaver each held one of June's hands.

"Oh, no! That's the date I've used for everything from my Driver's License to my Social Security card," June groaned.

"Great going, Wally. Now you've opened up a gigantic legal can of worms for Mom," Beaver fumed as he stood up.

"Hey, don't shoot the messenger! I'll take care of all that junk but we still need to find Mom's Real Birth Certificate if we're going to get her passport in time!" Wally implored.

"Could it be in your jewelry box upstairs?" Beaver asked as he and Wally started running towards the staircase.

"Oh, no! I'll get it. I didn't like the way you virtually mauled the Photo Album," June snapped as she propped herself back on her feet with her walker- and then walked to the stairlift chair Beaver had had installed five years earlier.

"Mom. ." Wally started to say.

"Wall, you know how she's a virtual speed demon once she gets on that stairlift-" Beaver sighed as June sat down and pressed the hand controls to glide herself up to the top of the staircase.

In a few minutes, she came back to the living room with her inlaid ebony and mahogany jewelry box and opened the scarlet velvet lined item.

"You've saved all our first teeth and hair clippings?" Beaver asked incredulously as June opened the box and saw all the carefully labeled items inside

"Boy, Beav. Now you've done it," Wally groaned as Beaver cringed.

"Only you and Wally's!"June sighed.

"Mom, please don't start," Beaver sighed.  
"Mary Ellen and Kimberly each agreed only to give me the 2nd teeth and clippings of my grandchildren while keeping the first ones for themselves," June fumed.

"Mom, they were your grandchildren's mothers," Wally pleaded.

"At least Kelly was nice enough to give me the first ones of _those_ great-grandchildren. Beaver, why couldn't you get your boys to marry women who'd . ..?" June boiled.

" I knew she'd make it my fault," Beaver groaned to Wally.

"Here's your Uncle Theodore's ring! The one we had to cut in half because you couldn't resist putting it on your finger. That is your fault," June fumed.

"Mom, I'm still sorry about that. Any sign of your Birth . ..? "Beaver asked.

"Here's my Christening Bowl!" June exclaimed as she took it out of the box.

"It has the very same date as the Christening Certificate. I doubt they could have had that bowl engraved with your name and the date on the very day you were born," Wally sighed.

"It's gotta be here somewhere," Beaver sighed as he and Wally hugged June.

Beaver was busy pacing up and down in his downtown office.

"Beav, what's going on?" Lumpy asked.

"Five days ago, I sent that Fed-Ex to St. Claire County, Illinois begging them for Mom's Birth Certificate- and I checked the Fax Number several times. They've neither faxed nor Fed-Exed me any copies!" Beaver boiled.

"Calm down," Lumpy sighed.

"You know what happens in another few seconds? It'll be five o'clock. ." Beaver fumed.

"No, that's not the time," Lumpy cautioned-as he pointed the digital display

"I meant in _East St. Louis_! Damn, they didn't send it! The County Clerk Office's is closed. Now I'll have to start this all over tomorrow morning," Beaver steamed as he banged the desk next to the Fax machine.

"Beaver, you can't keep calling them and begging they turn it up out of thin air," Lumpy pleaded.

"You're right! I'll have to go there myself and **demand** it!" Beaver insisted- as he wheeled his office chair to his computer terminal.

" But. ." Lumpy tried to suggest.

" I'm booking Red-Eye connections to St. Louis right now then taking the earliest cab to the St. Claire County Courthouse so they'll know I mean business," Beaver exclaimed as he did just that.

"But what about the Vinson Project and your Mom?" Lumpy asked.

"I've got the Vinson Project under control and I'm calling Wally to check in on Mom while I'm gone," Beaver explained as he ran out of the office with his E-Tickets in hand.

St. Claire Country Courthouse, 8AM the next morning.

"For the hundredth time, I'm looking for the Birth Certificate of June Evelyn Bronson, born September 8,1917 to Aaron and Flora Wallace Bronson," Beaver fumed to the Records Clerk.

"And for the hundred and first time, we've looked everywhere it could be but there is no record of a person of that name being born nor a couple giving birth by those names in this County on that date. Are you _sure_ Mrs. Cleaver was born in East St. Louis?" the exasperated Record Clerk Ms. Gillian Tannen (aged 55) asked.

"Of course, I've found that street address of my grandparents in East St. Louis. They bought their house here in August,1918 at this address," Beaver pointed out having gotten the public records of that transaction.

"It doesn't appear they'd lived there very long before their younger daughter was born. Any ideas why they've have moved while Mrs. Bronson was in her final trimester?" Ms. Tannen asked.

" I can't think of any. I never knew them and Aunt Peggy died when I was in college so I can't ask her," Beaver sighed.

"Do you have any cousins by that aunt?" Ms. Tannen asked.

"I have a younger cousin Lucy who lives in Phoenix but she was only twelve when her mother died,"Beaver pondered.

"Well, it could be a start. Why don't you ask your mother if she has any old letter or family papers that could shed light on why her parents might not have had her here in St. Claire County?" Ms. Tannen asked.

"Yeah, I guess I could do that," Beaver considered.

"We're just across the river from St. Louis, Missouri," Ms. Tannen noted.

"Well, duh, I kinda knew that," Beaver scoffed.

" Maybe your grandmother may have had complications and could have had to have gone to the hospitals there. Why don't you check there while you're in the area?" Ms. Tannen suggested.

" It's been a week and I contact every single county in Illinois and Missouri and none of them have any records of Mom's birth," Beaver groaned.

"Don't give up! There's got to be some explanation. Maybe we could get Mom a new birth certificate. I heard of someone getting one after their original got destroyed by having their mother and attending doctor producing a document," Wally pondered.

"Fat chance finding someone alive who'd remember Mom being born much less swear an affidavit," Beaver sighed.

"Any luck with Cousin Lucy?" Wally asked.

"It turns out after Aunt Peggy died, Mom felt bad for her since she was only twelve and would have to be raised without her mother so they gave her virtually everything she had about the Bronsons- and,oddly enough, Aunt Martha had a bunch of her old letters sent to Cousin Lucy after she died in 1987," Beaver replied.

"Hey, shouldn't Mom have gotten those? Aunt Martha barely saw her. She was always more interested in what we were doing!" Wally recalled.

"Yeah, Lucy was kinda puzzled about that,too. She's sending the whole parcel,"Beaver related.

"Why aren't we telling Mom about the delay, again?" Wally asked.

"Because there's no need for her to worry about her missing Birth Certificate if we track it down in time and mail it in," Beaver sighed.

"Too bad we have to prove that she's an American who's always been a Bronson and a Cleaver," Wally sighed.

"Gramps, Uncle Beaver, maybe we should check online," Wally's 9-year-old grandson Kyle Wallace Haskell suggested.

"Kyle, when did you get here?" Wally asked.

" They had a half-day of school due to a teacher's workshop and I didn't want Dad or Grandpa Eddie to draft me for any restaurant or contractor projects," Kyle explained.

"Smart move. Good to see the Cleaver genes won out this time," Beaver laughed.

"Beav," Wally warned.

"Hey, I know Eloise baked some wicked fudge- almost as good as your Gee-Ma's was back in the day!" Beaver laughed.

"We can surf for your Gee-Ma's Birth Certificate at my place. No point in Mom getting wind of it here," Wally insisted.

"Our Uncle Theodore died at ten of tuberculosis?!" Beaver gasped as he read the online obit from 1913 later that evening on his laptop.

"I think I heard Aunt Martha and Mrs. Hathaway mention that when they stopped by here in on the way to Indian Lake in '58," Wally explained.

"Oh, yeah, when Mom insisted we miss out on the Carnival so we could visit with those old biddies," Beaver groaned.

"Beaver, that's Aunt Martha, you're talking about," Wally warned.

"Who's Aunt Martha?" Kyle asked.

"Mom's aunt and your Gramps and my great-aunt," Beaver explained.

"Which would be your great-great-great aunt," Wally concluded.

"I remember her. Your Cousins Kip and Oliver used to complain about the umbrellas she'd send," 36-year-old Freddie Haskell laughed.

"That was nothing compared to the pinafore dresses she had made for me," 33-year-old Kelly Cleaver Haskell sighed.

"What's going on over here?" June asked as she ventured to Wally's living room.

"We're just doing .. ..research," Beaver tried to explain-as everyone suddenly slammed down the tops of their laptops.

"For school," Kyle piped up.

"The restaurant," Freddie quipped.

"Dad," Kyle groaned.

"You boys are sneaking around something involving me," June concluded.

"Why no, Mrs. Cleaver. Whatever gave you that idea?" Freddie exclaimed a bit too smoothly.

"Freddie, I've been a mother over 60 years now- and I've dealt with you Haskells for almost 50," June half-laughed.

"It's a family history project, Mom," Beaver sighed.

"Family history? That I can hardly wait to see. Any questions?" June asked.

"Yeah, why didn't you ever tell me our Uncle Theodore had died of tuberculosis?" Beaver asked.

"Oh, that's online now?" June asked with a gasp.

"Virtually all public records are- if you know where to look," Freddie explained.

"Hmm, well, I'd only heard it in passing and Aunt Martha told me never to tell anyone. Back then it was considered somewhat of a disgrace if a family member caught tuberculosis," June explained.

"A disgrace?! Grandma, that sounds worse than those folks who wanted to quarantine AIDS victims- or keep them from working in restaurants," Kelly scoffed.

"Kel, I was ignorant back then," Freddie groaned as he avoided her harsh look.

"Well, tuberculosis didn't have any cures back then and the only treatment was to send the victims away to sanatoriums. Folks would often burn the victims' clothes and belongings," June shuddered.

"That sounds like Aunt Martha," Beaver scoffed.

"Beaver, let her rest in peace. I know she wasn't your favorite relative but . .." June hotly scorned.

"Sorry, Mom," Beaver sighed as he patted June on the shoulder.

"It's okay. I shouldn't have given you the business. Besides. ." June said looking around and dropping her voice to a whisper.

"Besides, what?" Beaver asked.

"It's okay. Aunt Martha can't punish you for saying anything," Wally pleaded.

"Aunt Martha came down with it a few years later," June whispered.

"Aunt Martha?!" everyone else asked.

"Yes, she said she'd gotten it from taking care of her brother. I imagine the bug manifested itself sometime later but it was horrible for her," June shuddered.

"Did she have to be sent to a sanatorium?" Kelly asked.

"Yes, for a whole year- right after she'd graduated from Radcliffe!" June sighed.

"But she lived to 93 and. ." Wally recalled.

"But she'd had to endure that time away from her family- and her fiancé!"June groaned.

"Did you say fiancé?" Kelly asked.

"And the worst part of it was that as soon as she was diagnosed, he broke off the engagement," June sighed.

"That's awful! He sounds like . . like. .," Kelly started to boil.

"Your father-in-law?" Beaver whispered to her.

"Uncle Beaver!" Kelly groaned while all others glared at him.

"Sorry, force of habit," Beaver groaned.

"Anyway, I guess she was too heartbroken to want to ever attempt to marry again so she dedicated her life to teaching and tending the Bronson flame from that point on,"June explained.

"That's so sad. Even if she did make me wear that pinafore dress, she didn't deserve that to happen," Kelly sighed as she started walking out of Wally's living room with June.

"Where are you two going?" Freddie asked.

"We need to take a small break from you boys after all the stuff you've stirred," Kelly sighed.

"Women!" Freddie snapped.

"Freddie,"Wally groaned.

"Except, of course for my recently departed mother-in-law Mary Ellen Rogers Cleaver," Freddie stammered.

"Dad, don't dig yourself deeper by bringing in Grandma," Kyle sighed while he and Beaver rolled their eyes.

"Let's see what else we can find today. Whoa! Here's something about our grandfather! He sued the city of Chicago after he was badly mangled in a streetcar accident back in 1915," Beaver exclaimed.

"He almost lost his right leg, was left lame and . .. yeesh! They put _that_ in the legal document?!" Wally cringed.

"And it's backed up by this medical report," Beaver added.

"It can't be that bad. .whoa, it sure is, Dad Wally," Freddie cringed.

"What happened? "Kyle asked.

"You're WAAY too young to read this, Sport," Wally groaned-as he, Beaver and Freddie joined forces to cover the laptop.

"Heck, I'm too young to read that," Beaver sighed.

"Put it this way, it's a good thing that he'd already sired your Gee-Ma and her sister because he couldn't have _had_ any more after that," Freddie explained.

"Freddie, that accident occurred two months before Aunt Peggy's birth," Wally explained.

"And two years before Mom's," Beaver groaned- as he put his face in his hands.

" You mean that there's no way Aaron Bronson could have been Mrs. Cleaver's real father? Freddie gulped.

"Yeah, that's exactly what that means," Wally groaned.

"But why go to the trouble of hiding her birthplace if they could have. ." Freddie pondered.

"Dad, Gramps, Uncle Beaver, I found Gee-Ma's Birth Certificate online and it's not _just_ her father who's different from who she thought," Kyle gulped as the three of them looked at the document.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter Three- ( please review!).

Wally's Living Room

"Whoa!" Wally gulped-as he looked at his grandson Kyle Haskell's laptop screen.

"Yeah, I wasn't expecting that!" Kyle gulped.

"It can't be true! It **can't** be true!" Wally shuddered.

"I'm going to need Brain Lysol!" Beaver replied in a gasp.

"Uncle Beaver, don't you mean Brain Bleach?" 36-year-old Freddie Haskell asked his uncle-in-law.

"Whatever. ." Beaver shuddered.

Cleaver Residence.

"Grandma, before we go on a walk , don't you think we should take your sweater?" 33-year Kelly Cleaver Haskell asked as they stepped inside while Kelly opened the door for June.

"I used to say the same thing to you grandkids and my boys! What would Aunt Martha think of things being a bit reversed?" 90-year-old June half-laughed as Kelly brought out June's pink alpaca sweater-jacket from the hall closet.

"After all this time, you're still worrying about Aunt Martha's opinion? What did she _do_ to you?" Kelly sighed.

"She took care of me after my folks died when I was eight. I guess I feel I owe her," June replied as Kelly helped June put on the sweater over her shoulders.

"Kind of like with my younger two being watched by their Grandma Gert while we're here with you," Kelly pondered.

"It's more than that, Kelly!" June sniffed.

"I don't remember you talking about your childhood much. Do you remember your parents?" Kelly asked as she locked the Cleaver Front Door behind them and the two started walking down the brick walkway to the sidewalk with June leaning a bit on her walker.

"Of course, I do. I was eight when they died," June replied in shock.

" Of course you would- especially considering you weren't part of a real family being sent those boarding schools after their deaths,"Kelly sighed.

"Now, hold on, young lady. I was part of a real family. I had Aunt Martha and I had my Wallace grandparents who saw to it that I came home to be reunited with my sister Peggy over Christmas," June replied in shock.

"You mean Aunt Marjorie wasn't in the same boarding schools as you?" Kelly gasped as she stopped her tracks when they reached the street.

"She was at first when Mommy and Daddy sent me to join her when I was six," June recalled.

"Wait. Grandma, you were _six_ when they sent you away?!" Kelly gasped (again) while June started to walk ahead.

"Peggy had already been there two years and they thought it would be good for me,too- for **both** of us!" June protested.

"I suppose they visited you two quite often in the time they had," Kelly sighed.

"Well, only once- when the headmistress Miss Aimsley told Mommy that I'd made up a very tall tale about Mommy's life- and Mommy came there to insist I tell the entire school in her presence that I'd made up the stories," June groaned.

"And you never questioned. .?" Kelly gasped.

"Children were supposed to be seen and not heard- and never question adults back then. Besides, they did have us back home for summers and Christmases before their deaths so it wasn't as though they'd totally abandoned us," June protested.

"And you think that's okay," Kelly sighed.

"Mommy had many society obligations and Daddy had many business interests so they couldn't spend too much time having to worry about our troubles," June sputtered.

"Grandma, Dad and, especially, Uncle Beaver gave you and Grandpa plenty of troubles but you didn't send _them_ away," Kelly protested.

"No, I didn't. Just because they made trouble didn't mean we didn't love them," June half-laughed.

"So why did your parents and guardians send you and Aunt Marjorie away?" Kelly repeated.

" Kelly, they weren't perfect but they did the best they knew how. Aunt Martha made sure I got a good education and spent every summer at her place- even though she was busy being an educator herself the rest of the year," June sputtered.

"A teacher, right?" Kelly asked.

"At first, but then she became headmistress to several fine girls' schools and colleges well into old age," June recalled.

"And you and your sister had each other in the boarding schools,"Kelly pondered.

"Not after Mommy and Daddy's deaths. Grandma and Grandpa Wallace decided Peggy would be better suited for schooling closer to them," June sighed.

"You and Aunt Marjorie were separated after your parents' deaths?" Kelly gasped.

"It wasn't like that! Grandma and Grandpa simply decided that the boarding school where Mommy and Daddy sent us to would be better for me while the schools closer to them would be better for Peggy. That's all," June said- quite firmly as she lifted her walker and pounded it on the sidewalk for emphasis.

"And they did see to it that you'd spend every Christmas with Aunt Marjorie," Kelly tried to console.

"Well, there were some years in which they couldn't retrieve me for Christmas on account of Grandma Wallace's rheumatism flaring up in the winter making the long rail trip impossible," June groaned.

"And they couldn't send someone else to bring you home?" Kelly gasped.

"Why all these questions about people you'd never met?" June sighed.

" Because you're the closest person I have to a mother now.Grandma, I love you so I want to know what's made you tick," Kelly insisted as she hugged June.

"That's sweet , dear!" June blushed as she hugged Kelly back.

"So if the Wallaces weren't bringing you home, why didn't Aunt Martha offer to bring you and your sister Peggy to her place?" Kelly asked.

" I told you! Aunt Martha was an English teacher then the headmistress of some fine girls' boarding schools but it wasn't until I was grown that she'd put together the funds for a house of her own. She lived in the boarding schools during the school year then rented the summer cottage so we could visit," June explained.

"So the three of you would be reunited every summer?" Kelly asked.

" Three of us?" June asked as they continued their 2nd trek around the residential block.

"You, Aunt Marjorie and Aunt Martha," Kelly replied.

"Oh. " June gulped.

"Grandma?" Kelly asked.

" Peggy was taken on grand tours to Europe every summer by Grandma and Grandpa Wallace until the War," June groaned.

"Did they ever tell you why they'd take her but not you?" Kelly asked.

"Because Peggy was older and would appreciate Europe more but I needed the fresh air of summer camp for my health," June insisted.

"And you believed them," Kelly pondered.

" Kelly, could we get back inside. I think the air's a bit chilly tonight," June sighed as she turned her walker back towards the house.

"I'm sorry, Grandma. I didn't mean to upset . .." Kelly sighed.

"You didn't, dear. When I think of all the efforts I've made to treat you, Kevin and your cousins equally. How could Grandma and Grandpa been so. .!" June gasped before she started to cry.

Kelly hugged her.

"Grandma, it's okay," Kelly sighed.

"No, it's not! Our parents were dead and they just split us up and tried to pretend I no longer existed. Why? What did I ever do that was so horrible?!" June bawled.

" Grandma, I can't even imagine their reasons but I know in my heart that you did nothing to deserve that from them," Kelly sniffed.

"What would have happened to me if Aunt Martha hadn't existed ?! " June sobbed.

"I . .." Kelly sputtered.

"She was the only one in my family who cared!" June sniffed.

"It sure looks like. .." Kelly pondered.

" Why couldn't she have been my real ?! "June angrily bawled before drawing in her breath.

"Grandma?" Kelly asked.

"Oops, I didn't mean that," June gasped.

"We're back at the house. I'll make some tea for us," Kelly sighed.

"Thanks, dear. That would be nice," June said while inhaling her tears.

"Oh, it looks like they delivered a Fed Ex package for Uncle Beaver while we were gone," Kelly quickly exclaimed to try to change the subject as she picked it up to bring it inside.

"And it's from your Cousin Lucy in Arizona. Those two haven't exchanged Christmas cards in years so why would she send a package?" June asked.

"I don't know. It feels like there's a bunch of cards and letters inside," Kelly pondered while shaking the package.

"Kelly Marie Cleaver Haskell, that's your uncle's property," June scolded.

"I know but aren't you curious as to what she's sent Uncle Beaver?" Kelly asked.

"It's none of our business, young lady," June snapped.

"How do you know? You were complaining about how the guys all are trying to find out about family history but keeping you out of it," Kelly sighed.

Back at Wally's Living Room.

"Mom has a right to know!" Wally insisted.

"No way. This will devastate her! It's devastated me!" Beaver scoffed.

"So even the perfect Cleavers have skeletons after all! Wait'll Dad hears the news," Freddie Haskell gloated.

"He's not going to hear it 'cause, if this news leaves the room, I'm going to sic every Federal agency and watchdog group I can think of on you Haskells," Beaver warned.

"Beav, you want Kelly and my grandkids to get caught in the crossfire?" Wally gulped.

"Grandpa,Dad, Uncle Beaver, I'm in the room!" Kyle Haskell gulped.

" Not my fault she married into them. I tried to show her better prospects," Beaver sneered.

"You call Larry Mondelo's Smurf-haired son 'a better prospect'?!" Wally scoffed.

Back in the Cleaver Living Room. ..

"Grandma, how do we know that this package is really from Cousin Lucy or is for Uncle Beaver?" Kelly asked.

"I may need glasses but I can still read, dear," June sighed.

"Someone may have put the wrong addresses on it. Only one way to find out," Kelly insisted as she started to open it with scissors.

"Kelly, stop that at once!"June ordered as she put her right hand over Kelly's right hand while Kelly was ripping open the tape.

"Relax, we'll see what these letters are then put it back together so he'll never know it was opened," Kelly scoffed.

"How could you. . .?! June sputtered as Kelly opened the package.

"You learn a few tricks being married to a Haskell . Besides, I promise I'm only using these powers for good!" Kelly insisted.

She opened the package and saw a dozen loose yellowed envelopes.

"Grandma, none of these letters are later than 1960 and none of these letters are from Cousin Lucy or Uncle Beaver," Kelly pondered while June turned her head.

June was about to leave the room before something caught her eye. Inside the larger Fed-Ex package was another package inside with a large wax seal with the date October 3,1917 carved into it- along with the words 'Closed Chapter'.

"That's Aunt Martha's handwriting!"June gasped.


End file.
